The Accident
by BlueMajik
Summary: Giles makes an error in judgement that costs him a lot...A little bit of senseless violence. Just a little. =)


The Accident

_by BlueMajik_

Author's Note: Heyza all! =) This fic has been previously posted on other archives, under the author name Aidan. Just so ya know I'm not stealing or anything. ::wink:: If you're a super big fan of Giles, you might not like this....but remember, it's s'poseda be a comedy. I think it's funny, I hope ya'll do, too!

The Accident 

~*~*~*~*~

Rupert Giles sat at the large table in his library. He was reading a boring Watcher book, thinking stuffy thoughts and drinking English tea. He was quite content. Coming across an interesting passage, his brow creased in thought. *I know this! It is in that new book just over from England. I cross-referenced, labeled and filed it yesterday!* 

He leapt up, let out a high-pitched yelp and sat back down. Giles had forgotten...during the last training session with Buffy he had injured a rather important muscle in his back. It was now vehemently protesting the sudden movement. 

Still, he was determined to get the text, for no reason but to prove that he had it. The Watcher wasn't quite sure whom he wanted to prove it to ... but that didn't matter. 

Once again he tried getting up, this time slowly. He managed to stand after a few attempts, though the muscle was still bitterly complaining. *All right, hard part's over,* he thought *, slow and steady to the bookcase now.* Walking somewhat stiffly, he slowly made his way to the shelves. The desired bookshelf was only fifteen feet away, so he reached it within ten minutes. 

Upon reaching his destination, he paused to rub the offending area of his back and reflect on why he had decided to come over here. *Oh yes, that damn book. Now where did I put the bloody thing?* With and inward groan, he remembered. He had placed it on the top shelf, for lack of space elsewhere. He allowed his gaze to wander, searching for one of those small, wheeled, ladder things libraries were supposed to have. Not seeing one, he speculatively eyed the shelves. *They do look relatively sturdy...*, he thought. He was about to begin climbing the bookcase, when the prospective shelf intended as his first step collapsed under the weight of its books. *Hmmm, yes...well, they can't all be that badly made...* He guided his right foot, still poised in midair, to another shelf. Ignoring the fact that he was middle aged, not in the best shape of his life and had an injured back, Giles began to scale the bookshelves. 

All was going well until he was around two and a half feet off the ground, when he felt the shelves wobble. *Uh oh,* he thought. He tried to jump backwards from his precarious perch, but that pesky muscle objected. It violently objected in fact, sending a ripping pain up to his neck, causing him to jerk spasmodically. His abrupt movement completely unbalanced the tottering shelf. The Watcher's last thought before being crushed by his prized possessions was, *Not the bloody brightest thing I ever did...* 
    
    * * *

It wasn't until the next morning that the results of Giles' book hunt were discovered. Xander had wandered into the library in search of something that he couldn't remember. When he spotted the fallen bookcase and suspicious rust colored stain he had promptly run out. Half an hour later (after a quick stop at the snack machine) he returned with back up. Buffy entered first, slinking soundlessly through the doors (a handy trick she learned from Angel), holding a stake. She was closely followed by Willow who had her chemistry book raised defensively. Xander came farther behind, clutching a small pink frosted cupcake in one hand and a spork with a missing prong in the other. 

The motley group continued forward, cautiously approaching the scene. Buffy daintily sidestepped the dried blood puddle and lifted the bookcase, throwing it to one side. A collective gasp emanated from the teens. It was cut off when Xander accidentally inhaled some shredded coconut and burst into a coughing fit. Willow pounded him helpfully on the back until he stopped. Clearing his throat once or twice, the boy directed his gaze at what had been revealed. 

All three gazed down at the grotesque sight. There lay Giles' earthly remains, though if it hadn't been for the tweed they might not have recognized him. It was too horrible to look at, but their morbid curiosity forced them to look. The librarian's torso had been pierced by razor sharp bookends, his skull crushed by a demon encyclopedia and a laminated copy of the library schedule had decapitated him. Buffy was first to break the silence. 

"Yuck..." 

Xander and Willow turned to face her. Her face was white and her hands were shaking slightly. Her friends were in a similar state. The Slayer turned slightly green and then dashed for the exit. The boy and the hacker turned back to the corpse. Xander nudged one clenched hand with the scuffed toe of his sneaker. 

"Is he really dead?", Xander asked. Willow put her arm around him and turned him towards the door. 

In a motherly tone she replied, " No...he's just sleeping...", then added under her breath," Under a book case, with out his head and covered in blood..." 

Just sleeping? Alas, if it were only so, but that was not to be. The Watcher, one Rupert Giles, was quite, unarguably, and most definitely dead...as a doornail. 

A tragic incident really, but not unheard of. Libraries can be treacherous places. Things like these happen in England *all* the time...


End file.
